Parents and children are invited to explore nature together. The program includes age-appropriate nature exploration, animal encounters, hikes and crafts.

The program fee is $13 for Athens-Clarke County residents and $20 for non-residents. Pre-registration is required by calling 706-613-3515.

For more information, call Sandy Creek Nature Center at 706-613-3615 or visit sandycreeknaturecenter.com or accleisureservices.com.

HIKING

TODAY

Greenways and Riverside Parks will host a Full Moon Hike on Cook's Trail from 8-9:30 p.m. on April 28.

Participants will enjoy a guided night hike by the light of the full moon.

The hike will be at night on an uneven surface.

All ages are welcome, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

Pre-registration is required by calling 706-613-3615 x. 242.

The program fee is $2 for Athens-Clarke County residents and $5 for non-residents.

For more information, call 706-613-3615, x. 242 or visit athensgreenway.com or accleisureservices.com.

MAY 1

The kickoff event for the "Saturday Strolls at Harris Shoals" series is this Saturday, featuring Brad Sanders, a noted authority on the naturalist William Bartram, who traveled throughout the south in the late 18th century and wrote about the botanical riches and native peoples he encountered.

Sanders wrote the "Guide to William Bartram's Travels: Following the Trail of America's First Great Naturalist." He has spent years tracing and photographing the places Bartram visited in journeys through magnificent wilderness, small towns, lands held at the time by Native Americans and bustling cities such as Savannah.

Sanders will talk about features of the landscape Bartram saw when he visited the North Oconee River in the summer of 1773. While walking through Harris Shoals Park with participants, Sanders will also discuss the importance of Bartram's contribution to American natural history and science.

Cost is $5 per person to join the group (with children 12 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult). Proceeds support the work of the Bartram Trail Conference, an organization that fosters research and preservation of Bartram's trail and legacy.

Sanders' photographs have been exhibited in many museums and were part of an exhibit in Philadelphia that commemorated the 300th anniversary of William's father John Bartram's birth.

Harris Shoals Park is located on Experiment Station Road in Watkinsville (between the 441 Bypass and the Watkinsville City Hall). No reservations are necessary.

Participants should gather at the back of the park near the shoals. For more information about the walks, contact Pat Priest (patricia.priest@yahoo.com) or check out the series lineup of expert guides at oconeedemocrats.org.

MAY 1-JULY 31

The public can learn more about Watkinsville's local flora and fauna on a series of Saturday morning strolls that will be held from 9-10 a.m. each Saturday from May 1-July 31 at Harris Shoals Park - between the 441 Bypass and Watkinsville's City Hall.

Each week will have a slightly different focus, ranging from trees and wildlife to nature photography to art.

Organized by the Oconee County Democrats, but non-partisan and open to the public, the series is designed to raise money for local charities. Participants pay $5 per person, with children 12 and under admitted for free with accompanying adult.

Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and gather at the back of the park, near the shoals. The group will meet rain or shine unless dangerous weather threatens.

Contact organizer Pat Priest at patricia.priest@yahoo.com for more information.

MEETINGS

MAY 6

The Oconee Rivers Audubon Society will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. on May 6 at the ENSAT Building at Sandy Creek Nature Center.

Zoo Day 2010 will offer the public's first opportunity to see the zoo's newest residents, a pair of orphaned black bear cubs acquired in April. There will also be presentations by local experts on topics including Georgia wildlife and birds or prey.

For the second year, physical exams for stuffed animals will be provided by the University of Georgia Veterinary College Exotics Club. Children are encouraged to bring their stuffed animals for a check-up, or surgery.

Bear Hollow t-shirts and concessions will be available for purchase. The fee to attend is $2 per person for Athens Clarke-County residents and $3 per person for non-county residents.

For more information, call 706-613-3616 or visit accleisureservices.com